Child clothing device with reinforced zipper access, method of use, and method of manufacture

ABSTRACT

A child&#39;s romper or other one-piece clothing outfit which has a reinforced zipper between the legs of the garment to allow for quick and easy access for changing the child&#39;s diaper. There is no need to completely undress the child. The zipper element runs from one ankle to the other and allows the child&#39;s legs to easily be taken out of the garment for quick and easy diaper changes. The zipper element is reinforced to the inseam of the garment and includes a top stitch around the edges of the zipper to hold it down Ankle cuffs are used at each ankle end point and stitches are placed over the portion of the zipper tape attached to the ankle cuff. An embodiment may not use ankle cuffs and allows complete opening of the garment from ankle to ankle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority in U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/080,184 filed Oct. 26, 2020, which is a Non-Provisional of and claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/925,821 filed Oct. 25, 2019, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a clothing for children, methods of manufacture and method for use thereof, and more specifically to children's rompers and other clothing having zipper access for cleaning and changing of diapers.

2. Description of the Related Art

Small children and babies require frequent diaper changes. Removing entire articles of clothing or dealing with troublesome snaps on one-piece garments can be a hassle and take too much time. What is needed is a clothing solution for easily and effectively allowing for quick and easy access for changing a child's diaper.

Heretofore there has not been available a system or method for children's clothing with the advantages and features of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally provides a child's romper or other one-piece clothing outfit which has a reinforced zipper between the legs of the garment to allow for quick and easy access for changing the child's diaper. There is no need to completely undress the child. The zipper element runs from one ankle to the other and allows the child's legs to easily be taken out of the garment for quick and easy diaper changes. The zipper element is reinforced to the inseam of the garment and includes a top stitch around the edges of the zipper to hold it down Ankle cuffs are used at each ankle end point and stitches are placed over the portion of the zipper tape attached to the ankle cuff.

An embodiment may forego the use of ankle cuffs, such as in a child's romper with shortened legs. In such an embodiment, the zipper may fully disengage at the end, allowing complete separation between the top portion of the garment and the bottom portion.

An embodiment may also include a gastrostomy tube (g-tube) access secured by another zipper element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view as indicated in FIG. 1 showing a zipper element at a first position.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof showing the zipper element at a second position.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof showing the zipper element at a third position.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the interior of the leg portions of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5A is an elevational view of a prior art version thereof.

FIG. 5B is a detailed view taken about the circle of FIG. 5 .

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the exterior of the leg portions of the embodiment of FIG. 4 , with the zipper element at the third position.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention with a zipper element in a second position.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view thereof with the zipper element in a second position.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view thereof.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of another alternative embodiment including a g-tube access with a zipper element in a first position.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view thereof with the zipper element in a second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. Introduction and Environment

As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning.

II. Preferred Embodiment Child Garment System 2 with Reinforced Inseam Zipper 10

FIGS. 1-6 show a preferred embodiment of the present invention featuring an improved child's garment system 2 with ankle-to-ankle zipper 10 for easy access for removing and changing a child's diaper. The zipper is reinforced at the ankle cuff 8 to prevent accidental opening of the garment. The garment 4 has a pair of legs 6 ending in the cuffs 8, with the zipper 10 allowing a large opening from cuff-to-cuff when the zipper is opened.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the zipper 10 is a closed-end zipper which may include a stopper 18 which prevents the zipper from completely opening. In a preferred embodiment, no stopper is necessary as the cuff 8 functions as a stopper and is reinforced with stitching as shown in FIG. 5 . The stopper 18 may have a receiver 20 for receiving the zipper slider 12 when it is moved to the end of the zipper 10. As shown, the inside 16 of the legs 6 are closed when the zipper slider 12 is in the original position adjacent to the top stops 22.

FIG. 2 shows a bottom plan view of the orientation of the zipper 10 and the garment 4 as shown in FIG. 1 . Stitching 30 can be seen securing the zipper 10 to the interior of the legs 6. FIG. 3 shows the zipper slider 12 being pulled across the zipper 10 by the pull tab 14 opening the teeth 24, showing the opening 26 between the legs 6. FIG. 4 shows the zipper slider 12 at the bottom stopper 18 forming a complete ankle-to-ankle opening 26. Alternatively, and preferably, there is no bottom stopper 18 and the cuff 8 acts as the stopper and renders the need for the stopper unnecessary. This is shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 5 shows the zipper 10 from the interior of the legs 6. The cuffs 8 are sewn to the zipper tape 28 via a reinforced stitch 29, and continues to be reinforced via stitching 29 about the entirety of the zipper tape 28. This is to prevent the zipper from coming apart or fraying over time. To manufacture the reinforced zipper element 11, the zipper is sewn into the inseam of the garment. After that, a reinforcing top stitch 30 is placed around the edges of the zipper to hold it down and prevent separation at the seam 31 of the zipper tape 28. Failure to do so can result in separation as shown in the prior art of FIG. 5A. Ankle cuffs 8 are attached at each ankle of the legs 6, and the garment is turned inside out. While inside out, stitches and back stitches 30 are placed over the portion of the zipper tape 28 attached at the ankle cuff. This process reinforces the zipper for superior security.

FIG. 5A shows a prior art romper 52 which includes zipper tape 28 with traditional stitching 80, teeth 74, and pull tab 64. The two halves 66, 68 of the zipper tape form a seam 70 which split apart without the securing stitch 30 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows how the opening 38 formed by unzipping the zipper 10 allows easy access to the diaper 32. The front portion 34 of the legs 6 and the rear portion 36 of the legs 6 are separated, allowing the diaper to be changed without removing the entire outfit.

III. Alternative Embodiment Child Garment System 102 with Shortened Leg Elements

As shown in FIGS. 7-9 , an alternative embodiment child garment system 102 of the present invention which is a romper 104 which has shortened legs 106 for use in warmer weather. In this embodiment, the zipper element 110 is not reinforced as there are no ankle cuffs available for reinforcement. Instead, the garment is much faster to unzip for access to diaper changes.

Like the first embodiment, the zipper element 110 includes a pair of top stoppers 122 and a slider 112 with a pull tab 114. The bottom stopper is replaced with a retainer box 118 with an insertion pin 120 and boxpin 140 allowing it to be completely separated when the slider 112 is pulled across. FIG. 8 shows how the opening 138 allows easy access to the diaper 132 by separating the front portion 134 of the leg 106 and the rear portion 136 of the leg 106. FIG. 9 shows how the entire inseam opening is formed by unzipping the zipper 10, pulling the slider 112 across the teeth 124, and separating the retainer box 118 and the insertion pin 120.

IV. Alternative Embodiment Child Garment System 202 with G-Tube Access Zipper 210

FIGS. 10-11 provide another alternative embodiment child garment system 202 featuring a garment 204 which shows how either of the previous embodiments could be further modified to include a g-tube access zipper 210. This zipper includes a bottom stopper 218 and top stoppers 222. The zipper slider 212 is pulled across the zipper teeth 224 by the pull tab 214 forming an access opening 238, allowing easy access to a g-tube 242 which can otherwise be difficult to manage, requiring complete removal of a garment to access and check. The legs 206 can include one of the ankle-to-ankle zipper embodiments described above.

It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects. 

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. A child garment system comprising: a garment with a first leg having a first ankle and a second leg having a second ankle; an opening from said first ankle to said second ankle, said first and second ankles selectively openable and closable by a zipper affixed to said first leg and said second leg; said zipper comprising a first position wherein said opening is closed and a second position wherein said opening is open; said zipper comprising a zipper tape, said zipper tape secured to an interior of said first leg and said second leg, said zipper tape further comprising a first half and a second half separated by a seam; said first leg ending in a first cuff and said second leg ending in a second cuff; said second cuff configured to prevent said zipper from separating at said second position; said first cuff and said second cuff reinforced with at least one top stitch across said seam between said first half and said second half of said zipper tape to secure said zipper via said zipper tape; and wherein when said zipper is in said second position, said opening provides access to a diaper within said garment and is configured to allow removal of said diaper without further removal of said garment.
 2. The child garment system of claim 1, further comprising: a gastrostomy tube (g-tube) access opening secured by a g-tube zipper having a first orientation and a second orientation; wherein said first orientation comprises said zipper being closed, thereby closing said access opening; wherein said second orientation comprises said zipper being unzipped and opened, thereby opening said access opening; and said access opening configured to provide access to a g-tube within said garment. 